Addressing the party workers after hoisting national flag at Gandhi Bhavan on the occasion of 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement on Wednesday, Uttam Kumar Reddy called upon the cadre to strive hard to defend the secularism and democratic norms in the country.

He said that the BJP Government at the Centre and TRS Government in Telangana State were suppressing fundamental rights of common people, especially the weaker sections and downtrodden. He said minorities, Dalits, Girijans and women were not feeling safe under BJP-TRS regimes.

Therefore, he said that the Congress workers should feel their responsibility and fight for justice and equality for all.

Later, while addressing a press conference, Uttam Kumar Reddy read out a few excerpts from history books to prove that RSS had opposed Quit India Movement. He said that the Quit India Call was given on August 8, 1942, by the Bombay Session of the All India Congress Committee.

While the entire nation responded positively to Mahatma Gandhi’s call for ‘Do or Die’, the RSS did not participate in the Quit India Movement. He said Sarvarkar, while addressing the 24th session of the Hindu Mahasabha at Kanpur had decided to cooperate with the British rulers.

He said Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee, the second-in-command of the Hindu Mahasabha, was also not in the forefront in the movement against British. Similarly, he said Hedgewar had colluded with Britishers than joining hands with freedom fighters. He also mentioned that Savarkar had apologised in writing with the British Government to seek his release from jail.

“Today, the same Sarvarkar is the hero for BJP and RSS,” he said. He expressed regret that leaders who had opposed India’s freedom struggle were today being highlighted as nationalists by the BJP and RSS.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also said out that there were reports of RSS sympathisers distributing sweets when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. He said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel wrote a letter to Gowalkar in September 1948 slamming RSS leaders for their speeches which were full of communal poison. He said that the country had lost Mahatma Gandhi due to the communal ideologies of RSS.

He said on the occasion of Quit India Movement, the Congress Working Committee had passed a resolution to uphold the secularism and democracy. “The Indian National Congress has striven relentlessly in the seventy five years since it asked the British to Quit India and to realize the dreams of those who fought for our freedom.

Many of the ideals have indeed been realised, even if not in full measure: a secular and democratic Constitution which guarantees Fundamental rights, Freedom of speech and expression, economic growth with equity and rule of law. However, much remains to be done for the Socio economic emancipation of the disadvantaged, deprived and marginalized sections of our people.

Indian National Congress, has always stood for a secular, democratic and inclusive India and reaffirms its commitment to strive for the upliftment of the poor and empowerment of the weak and the vulnerable,” said the CWC resolution.

The TPCC chief said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had instructed the party cadre to wage a fight against injustices being meted out to deprived and weaker sections.

He said that the BJP and TRS Governments were even violating the human rights. However, he said that the Congress party would fight relentlessly to protect their rights and interest.